Mexico captures Los Zetas cartel leader

Mexican security forces have captured Omar Trevino Morales, considered to be the most important leader of Los Zetas, one of the country's largest and most violent drug cartels.

National Security Commissioner Monte Alejandro Rubido said at a news conference in Mexico City that the man known as "Z-42" was arrested on Wednesday in a pre-dawn raid in San Pedro Garza Garcia, a wealthy suburb of the northern city of Monterrey.

A simultaneous raid on another street in the same suburb netted Carlos Arturo Jimenez Encinas, allegedly Trevino's finance chief, Rubido said

Trevino, 41, took the helm of the Zetas after his brother, Miguel Angel Trevino, or "Z-40," was captured by marines in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas in July 2013, almost a year after Mexican marines killed the Zetas' other biggest leader, Heriberto Lazcano "El Lazca."

Tomas Zeron, the attorney general's criminal investigations chief, called Omar Trevino Morales "one of the most dangerous and bloodthirsty criminals in Mexico" and said he faced at least 11 criminal counts including drug trafficking, organized crime, kidnapping and oil theft. He also said Trevino faced a pending extradition request from the United States.

Trevino’s arrest came just days after the government captured Mexico's most wanted man, Knights Templar cartel leader Servando "La Tuta" Gomez on Friday. Like Servando Gomez, Trevino was captured without any shots being fired.

The Mexican government had offered a $2 million reward for Trevino’s capture on weapons and organized crime charges.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) offered a $5 million reward for his capture, saying he was wanted for drug trafficking.

Rubido said Trevino, 38, took over leadership of the Zetas after his brother's arrest and immediately became a target of their investigation.

The Trevino brothers took proceeds from their U.S. drug sales and laundered them by purchasing American quarter horses. That scheme was led by Jose Trevino Morales, a third brother. A jury in Texas found him guilty in May of investing $16 million of drug money in the buying, training and racing of horses across the Southwest United States.

Wire services